Senate leader predicts continuing resolution heading into 2009

The Senate could finish work on two of the 12 annual appropriations bills before Congress passes a continuing resolution that could fund the federal government until a new president takes over next year, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Thursday.

"I don't think we are going to have a lot of bills on the Senate floor this work period," Reid told reporters. "I hope we can get a couple of them done. One would be the Defense [appropriations] bill … the other would be the Military Construction appropriations bill."

Reid also said he does not expect Congress to come back for a lame-duck session after the November election to deal with the remaining appropriations bills or other unfinished issues.

"I would hope that before we leave here this year we would do a continuing resolution until after [Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.] becomes president," said Reid.

Even though a continuing resolution is likely, the Senate Appropriations Committee will likely finish marking up all of the 12 bills, Reid said.

By contrast, House Appropriations Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., has said he does not plan to finish work on the bills. His position stems from a plan hatched by Republicans at a markup last month to offer the Interior appropriations bill as an amendment to the Labor-HHS bill. The move was an effort to try to force a vote on repealing a restriction on offshore oil drilling. As prospects for completion of the appropriations process dim, talk of a second emergency supplemental spending bill have intensified. Lawmakers are increasingly looking to the package to make sure their spending priorities are addressed instead of going through the appropriations bills.

Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd, D-W.V., Thursday announced that he intends to mark up the supplemental July 22. Byrd's announcement came after Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., requested Wednesday that Byrd include $910 million in the package for fire fighting, prevention and rehabilitation.